Gas burner and flash tube assembly

ABSTRACT

The body of a flash tube has a pair of longitudinal prongs inserted into an opening in the body of the gas burner. The tube body is longitudinally slit and stressed to urge notches in the prongs into tight locking engagement in the opening. The prongs are movable toward each other by squeezing the tube to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the tube and burner.

United States Patent 1191 [11] i r 3,806,306 [451 Apr. 23, 1974 Duperowet a1.

[5 GAS BURNER AND FLASH TUBE ASSEMBLY [75] lnventors: Donald E. Duperow;William J.

Ferlin, both of Detroit, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Lincoln Brass Works, Inc., Detroit,

Mich.

22 Filed: Nov. 20, 1972 211 Appl. o.: 307,973

[52] US. Cl. 431/193 [51] Int. Cl. F246 3/10 [58] Field of Search431/191, 192, 193, 194

[56] t References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,524,210 -10/l950 Reeves431/193 2,537,692 1/1951 Mueller 43 1/191 X 1,060,906 5/1913 Kiefer431/191 2,490,885 12/1949 Reeves....; ..431/193 Primary Examiner-EdwardG. Favors [57 ABSTRACT The body of a flash tube has a pair oflongitudinal prongs inserted into an opening in. the body of the gasburner. The tube body is longitudinally slit and stressed to urgenotches in the prongs into tight locking engagement in the opening. Theprongs are movable toward each other by squeezing the tube to facilitateassembly and disassembly of the tube and burner.

16 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures on the fitting with its open end alignedwith charging ports in the burner body. Manufacture of the fitting andattaching it to the burner body adds significantly to the cost of theburner-flash tube assembly.

Moreover in conventional assemblies there is clearance or. tolerancebetween the interengaged elements of theflash tube and fitting whichresults in objectionable rattling when the assembly is used in a rangemounted in a movable vehicle such as a mobile home.

The object of the present invention is to provide a gas burner andflashtube assembly wherein the attachment structure is relatively simple,inexpensive and improved to eliminate the conventional intermediatemounting bracket and also improved to provide a tight, nonrattlingconnection between the tube and burner.

Generally the invention contemplates the use of a pair of prong-likeextensions of the burner tube body notched for direct lockinginterengagement within an opening in the burner body. The tube body islongitudinally slit and is stressed to urge the locking notches tightlyagainst sides of the opening to eliminate rattling. By squeezing thetube the prongs can be moved toward each other to facilitate assemblyand disassembly thereof relative to the burner body opening.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a gas range embodying structure accordingto the present invention, portions being broken away to illustratestructural details.

FIG.2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

.FIG. 3 is a further enlarged sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary top plan view of prongstructure illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the flash tube illustrated in FIG.3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view taken in the direction of Arrow6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG. 3.

Shown in thedrawings is a gas range 10 having a plurality of burners 12distributed around a central pilot burner 14 positioned within asurrounding shield 16. A flash tube 18 isprovided for each burner 12.Each flash tube has an inner end portion 20 supported by shield 16adjacent pilot flame F and has an outer end portion 22 connected to andsupported by a burner 12 through an attachment 24 according to thepresent invention.

. nular array of main burner ports32 and carryover ports 34 inalternatearrangement. Wall 28 has a shoulder 36 engaged against the topof a bottom closure plate 38 and side wall 28 continues in a skirt 40below the closure plate. Skirt 40 at a number of circumferentiallydistributed locations is lancedand deformed inwardly under the bottom ofplate 38 as at 42 to secure burner body or cup 25 to plate 38. Burner 12is supported I within range 10 by a bracket 43.

Cup 25 and plate 38 define a chamber 44 which receives a mixture of fuelgas and primary air from a mixing tube 46 through an opening in plate38. The fuel gas is injected into the mixing tube by a valve 48 havingan operating handle 49.

Side wall 28 is provided with charging ports 50. When valve 48 is turnedon, the gas mixture enters chamber 44 and issues through ports 50 intothe adjacent open end 52 of flash tube 18 for ignition at the op.-posite open end 54 of the tube by pilot flame F. As is conventional,ignition flashes back through tube 18 to ignitegas issuing from ports50. Side wall 28 is provided with chain ignition ports 56 above ports 50which carry ignition from ports 50 upwardly to burner ports Inaccordance with the invention, attachment 24 comprises portions of thebody of flash tube 18 at tached directly to portions of the body ofburner 12. In the structure illustrated, flash tube l8has a longitudinalslit 58 with a circumferential enlargement 60 adjacent open end 52.Portions 61 of the tube body at opposite sides of the slit enlargementextend downwardly adjacent end 52 and then longitudinally to provide apair of prongs 62 which project beyond end 52 and are surface 72. Theprongs are flat and each has an upper I surface 74 and a lower surface76.

Skirt portion 40 of side wall 218 has a pairof slot shaped openings 78below closure plate 38. The web 79 between openings 78 serves only toleave a strengthening member for the relatively thin metal of skirt 40and otherwise has no function. Functionally, the web could be eliminatedso that instead of two slots 78 a single slot would result. Accordinglyopenings 78 will be treated herein simply as a single opening. Theopening has upper surface portions 80, lower surface portions 82 andside portions 84. Prongs 62 are dimensioned and configured to beinserted into opening 78.

Prior to assembly of the flash tube and burner body, slit portions 58,60 of the tube are open more widely than is illustrated in FIG. 3 withthe result that prongs 62 are separated more widely. To assemble theflash tube and burner body the distancebetween prongs 62 must bedecreased. This is done either by squeezing the tube in the direction ofthe arrows :in FIG. 3 or by forcing cam surfaces 72 against sides 84 ofopening 78 or both. When shoulders 70 clear sides 84 the prongs aresnapped outwardly under the stress of the constricted tube and hook overor engage the inner surface 86 of skirt 40. Shoulders 68 engage theouter surface 88 of the skirt to limit the extent of penetration of theprongs into the opening- The stress in the body of tube 18 urges socketbottoms 66 into tight engagement with I sides 84 of the opening. Top andbottom surfaces 74,

76 of the prongs engage top and bottom surfaces 80, 82 of opening 78respectively to limit vertical movement of the prongs within theopening. I

Notch bottoms66, shoulders 68, and upper and lower surfaces 74, 76 ofprongs 62 may be regarded as four sets of shoulders which respectivelyengage four corresponding sets of shoulders 84, 88, 86 and 80, 82defined by inner and outer portions of skirt 40 and portions of opening78. Interengagement of these sets of shoulders secures open end 52 ofthe flash tube 18 in the proper horizontal location both longitudinallyand laterally of the tube and in a proper vertical location. The tightengagement between shoulders 66 and 84 secures the interengaged parts ofthe flash tube and skirt 40 against relative movement and therebyprevents these parts from rattling such as when gas range is mounted ina moving vehicle.

Attachment structure 24 is very inexpensive in that depending portions61- and prong portions 62 can be formed quickly and very inexpensivelyin a stamping operation. Opening 78 can be formed in skirt 40 in thesame punching operation which results in charging ports 50 and chainports 56.

The flexibility of tube end 22 to squeezing force applied thereto can beincreased or decreased as desired by respectively increasing ordecreasing the longitudinal extent of slit enlargement 60.

Since opening 78 is in that portion of skirt 40 which is below closureplate 38, attachment 24 involves no puncturing or penetration of themetal defining gas chamber 44 and consequently the attachment does notgive rise to any sealing or leakage problem. Since prongs 62 are dispsedbelow ports 50 and 56 the prongs protect the flames at these portsagainst the wiping action of strong updrafts of air when the burner isin heated condition.

To disassemble flash tube 18 and burner 12, tube 18 is again squeezedadjacent end 22 to force prongs 62 toward each other and therebydisengage inner shoulders 70 from inner surface 86 of skirt 40. Theprongs are then withdrawn from opening 78. To reassemble the tube andburner, prongs 62 are reinserted into opening 78 by the proceduredescribed above.

We claim:

1. In a gas burner and flash tube assembly wherein the burner has a top,a bottom wall and a side wall which contains charge porting, improvedstructure for attaching said flash tube to said burner with an open endthereof aligned with said porting which comprises,

a portion of one of said walls adjacent said porting,

said tube being defined by a body having a portion adjacent said openend,

said portions being respectively configured and dimensioned to formelements which are detachably interengaged,

said elements comprising interengaged aperture and insert means,

said wall portion being apertured and said tube por tion projecting awayfrom said open end to form said insert means,

said aperture and insert means having a first set of shoulders which areinterengaged to obstruct entry of said insert means into said aperturemeans beyond a predetermined distance,

said aperture and insert means having a second set of shouldersinterengaged to obstruct withdrawal of said insert means from saidaperture means,

said tube body adjacent said open end being resiliently variable in itsdiametral dimension to facilitate engagement and disengagement of theshoulders of said second set.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture and insertmeans have a third set of shoulders interengaged to obstruct movement ofsaid tube end laterally in a horizontal direction.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 wherein said aperture and insertmeans have a fourth set of shoulders interengaged to obstruct movementof said tube end laterally in a vertical direction.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 wherein one of said third and fourthsets of shoulders are urged toward firm interengagement by theresiliency of said tube'.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 wherein said one set of shoulderscomprises said third set.

6. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said tube body has alongitudinal slot extending through said portion thereof and away fromsaid portion beyond said open end to facilitate said resilientvariation.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 wherein said slot extends throughoutthe length of said tube body and has a circumferential enlargement whichextends through said tube body portion and away from said portion beyondsaid open end.

8. In a gas burner and flash tube assembly wherein the burner body has atop, a bottom wall and a side wall which contains charging ports,improved structure for attaching said flash tube to said burner with anopen end thereof aligned with said charging ports which comprises,

a portion of one of said walls disposed below and adjacent said chargingports, said tube being defined by a body having a portion adjacent saidopen end,

one of said portions extending in a generally vertical direction andhaving an opening with a top, bottom and sides,

the other of said portions having the shape of a pair of generallyhorizontally extending prongs each having an upper surface and a lowersurface engaged respectively against the top and bottom of said opening,

each prong having a notch, the notches facing in opposite directions,

each notch having a bottom flanked by an outer and inner shoulder,

said bottom of each notch being engaged against a respective side ofsaid opening with said outer and inner shoulders engaged respectivelywith outer and inner surfaces of said one portion adjacent said sides,

the body of which said other portion forms a part being stressed to urgesaid bottoms against said sides,

the latter said body being resiliently distortable to facilitateretraction of said notch bottoms from said sides and disengagement ofsaid inner shoulders from said inner surfaces to facilitate withdrawalof said prongs from said opening.

9. The structure defined in claim 8 wherein said one portion comprisessaid portion of one of said walls and said other portion comprises saidportion of said tube body.

10. The structure defined in claim 9 wherein said tube body has alongitudinal slot to facilitate said distortion thereof.

11. The structure defined in claim 10 wherein said prongs are movedcloser together to so disengage said inner shoulders thereof.

12. The structure defined in claim 11 wherein said prongs have camshaped free ends operable upon forcible engagement against said sides ofsaid opening to move said prongs toward each other to facilitateinsertion thereof into said opening.

13. The structure defined in claim wherein said one wall portioncomprises a portion of said side wall below said bottom wall.

14. In a gas burner and flash tube assembly wherein the burner has atopga bottom wall and a side wall which contains charge porting,improved structure for attaching said flash tube to said burner with anopen end therof aligned with said porting which comprises,

a portion of one of said walls adjacent said porting,

said tube being defined by a body having a portion adjacent said openend, i

said portions being respectively configured and dimensioned to formelements which are detachably interengaged,

said elements comprising interengaged aperture and insert means, i

said aperture and insert means having a first set of shoulders which areinterengaged to obstruct entry of said insert means into said aperturerneans beyond a predetermined distance,

said aperture and insert means having a second set of shouldersinterengaged to obstruct withdrawal of said insert means from saidaperture means,

i said tube body adjacent said open end being resil iently variable inits diametral dimension to facilitate engagement and disengagement oftheshoulders of said second set. i

15. The structure defined in claim 14 wherein said wall portion isapertured and said tube portion projects away from said open end to formsaid insert means.

16. The structure defined in claim 14 wherein said side wall being belowsaid bottom wall and beneath said charging ports.

1. In a gas burner and flash tube assembly wherein the burner has a top,a bottom wall and a side wall which contains charge porting, improvedstructure for attaching said flash tube to said burner with an open endthereof aligned with said porting which comprises, a portion of one ofsaid walls adjacent said porting, said tube being defined by a bodyhaving a portion adjacent said open end, said portions beingrespectively configured and dimensioned to form elements which aredetachably interengaged, said elements comprising interengaged apertureand insert means, said wall portion being apertured and said tubeportion projecting away from said open end to form said insert means,said aperture and insert means having a first set of shoulders which areinterengaged to obstruct entry of said insert means into said aperturemeans beyond a predetermined distance, said aperture and insert meanshaving a second set of shoulders interengaged to obstruct withdrawal ofsaid insert means from said aperture means, said tube body adjacent saidopen end being resiliently variable in its diametral dimension tofacilitate engagement and disengagement of the shoulders of said secondset.
 2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture andinsert means have a third set of shoulders interengaged to obstructmovement of said tube end laterally in a horizontal direction.
 3. Thestructure defined in claim 2 wherein said aperture and insert means havea fourth set of shoulders interengaged to obstruct movement of said tubeend laterally in a vertical direction.
 4. The structure defined in claim3 wherein one of said third and fourth sets of shoulders are urgedtoward firm interengagement by the resiliency of said tube.
 5. Thestructure defined in claim 4 wherein said one set of shoulders comprisessaid third set.
 6. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said tubebody has a longitudinal slot extending through said portion thereof andaway from said portion beyond said open end to facilitate said resilientvariation.
 7. The structure defined in claim 6 wherein said slot extendsthroughout the length of said tube body and has a circumferentialenlargement which extends through said tube body portion and away fromsaid portion beyond said open end.
 8. In a gas burner and flash tubeassembly wherein the burner body has a top, a bottom wall and a sidewall which contains charging ports, improved structure for attachingsaid flash tube to said burNer with an open end thereof aligned withsaid charging ports which comprises, a portion of one of said wallsdisposed below and adjacent said charging ports, said tube being definedby a body having a portion adjacent said open end, one of said portionsextending in a generally vertical direction and having an opening with atop, bottom and sides, the other of said portions having the shape of apair of generally horizontally extending prongs each having an uppersurface and a lower surface engaged respectively against the top andbottom of said opening, each prong having a notch, the notches facing inopposite directions, each notch having a bottom flanked by an outer andinner shoulder, said bottom of each notch being engaged against arespective side of said opening with said outer and inner shouldersengaged respectively with outer and inner surfaces of said one portionadjacent said sides, the body of which said other portion forms a partbeing stressed to urge said bottoms against said sides, the latter saidbody being resiliently distortable to facilitate retraction of saidnotch bottoms from said sides and disengagement of said inner shouldersfrom said inner surfaces to facilitate withdrawal of said prongs fromsaid opening.
 9. The structure defined in claim 8 wherein said oneportion comprises said portion of one of said walls and said otherportion comprises said portion of said tube body.
 10. The structuredefined in claim 9 wherein said tube body has a longitudinal slot tofacilitate said distortion thereof.
 11. The structure defined in claim10 wherein said prongs are moved closer together to so disengage saidinner shoulders thereof.
 12. The structure defined in claim 11 whereinsaid prongs have cam shaped free ends operable upon forcible engagementagainst said sides of said opening to move said prongs toward each otherto facilitate insertion thereof into said opening.
 13. The structuredefined in claim 10 wherein said one wall portion comprises a portion ofsaid side wall below said bottom wall.
 14. In a gas burner and flashtube assembly wherein the burner has a top, a bottom wall and a sidewall which contains charge porting, improved structure for attachingsaid flash tube to said burner with an open end therof aligned with saidporting which comprises, a portion of one of said walls adjacent saidporting, said tube being defined by a body having a portion adjacentsaid open end, said portions being respectively configured anddimensioned to form elements which are detachably interengaged, saidelements comprising interengaged aperture and insert means, saidaperture and insert means having a first set of shoulders which areinterengaged to obstruct entry of said insert means into said aperturemeans beyond a predetermined distance, said aperture and insert meanshaving a second set of shoulders interengaged to obstruct withdrawal ofsaid insert means from said aperture means, said tube body adjacent saidopen end being resiliently variable in its diametral dimension tofacilitate engagement and disengagement of the shoulders of said secondset.
 15. The structure defined in claim 14 wherein said wall portion isapertured and said tube portion projects away from said open end to formsaid insert means.
 16. The structure defined in claim 14 wherein saidone wall comprises said side wall, said portion of said side wall beingbelow said bottom wall and beneath said charging ports.